Page 69 of The Angel and the Agent

“Because you’re high,” he reminded her.

“I don’t do drugs, crack is whack,” she said, then, ”Shh, don’t tell my mom.”

“I won’t,” he promised, smoothing the hair away from her face. He needed to go home, to shower, to check in with work, to sleep, but the thought of leaving her, even under Maggie’s watch, was painful. She had been in his care and his alone for so many days. Giving her up felt like the end of something.

“Ethan.”

“Hmm.”

“I might throw up.”

“It’s okay,” he said.

“You won’t like me if I throw up,” she said, starting to cry.

“I will, I promise,” he said.

“No,” she shook her head. “Pretty girls don’t puke.”

“You might want to tell that to some sorority girls I met once,” he said. “Why don’t you try to get some sleep?”

She clutched at his shirt. “I think they put something in my IV, something bad.”

“It was to take the pain away,” he explained.

“It didn’t work because it still hurts right here.” She pressed her finger into the bed.

“I’m sorry your bed hurts. How about I’ll give you a kiss goodnight, and then you’ll go to sleep,” he suggested.

“You are so good at kissing, and all the other stuff we…” he pressed his lips to hers, cutting her off. When he pulled away, she dutifully closed her eyes and fell asleep.

The doctor entered immediately after. He spoke at full volume. Amelia stirred and woke but didn’t speak. “You are her sister,” he said addressing Maggie.

“Yes, and that’s her husband,” Maggie said, tossing Ethan an impish smile because she knew it would make him squirm to hear the new title out loud, and it did.

“Ah,” the doctor said, turning toward him. “That explains things.”

“Explains what?” Ethan asked, his heart thundering. How could he have possibly messed things up already?

“Amelia had an ovarian cyst that ruptured,” the doctor said.

“Is that serious?” Ethan asked.

“No, but it’s painful,” the doctor said.

“Was it from being on the airplane, the altitude?” Ridge asked.

“No, ah,” he glanced at Ethan again. “Sometimes vigorous, er, activity can precipitate a rupture.”

“Oh, geez,” Ethan said. Ridge snickered and ducked into the hallway.

“Really glad my mom was not here to hear that tidbit,” Maggie said.

“I didn’t note any other cysts in her scan, so things should be fine going forth. No need to scale back, er…”

“Good, thanks, we get it,” Ethan said, holding up his hand to halt the man speaking. It was a mercy he had a high threshold for embarrassment.

“We’ll keep her overnight, monitor her pain, and she should follow up with her gynecologist after release. Otherwise I think she’ll be fine,” the doctor said.

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